Queen
by SeaSpectre160
Summary: Kiva: Chōko has no choice in who she has to marry. Could the universe be any crueler than this? Can she possibly fall in love anyway? Mentions of Nago/Megumi, beginnings of Taiga/OC. Second in Knightverse.
1. Chapter 1: The Meeting

****Welcome back to the Knightverse! This fic deviates greatly from the preview I put at the end of 'King', mainly because I hadn't written this. The stuff in the preview just plain doesn't happen. The same will go for the preview I have at the end of this chapter. I haven't written Chapter 2 yet, so it will just give you an idea of what will be going on. In this case, Chōko's character just wound up going in a different direction, and she wouldn't act as bitchy as she did in the preview.****

**Also: Building off the just-for-fun question I asked at the end of my Kamen Rider Wizard/Harry Potter crossover 'Himitsu no Hōki', I'll be posting polls on my profile, about which characters should go into which Hogwarts House. This month, it's Kamen Rider W. Please take your time to answer, it will take only a minute.**

****DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kamen Rider Kiva or any of its characters, just the Yamamotos.****

**WORD COUNT: 3290**

**EDIT 02/16/2016: It seems I forgot to add character profiles of Ch****ōko and Mari, so here they are:**

**Full Name: Ch****ōko Yamamoto  
Birthdate: Jan 20, 1987  
Fangire Type: Insect Class - Azure Fangire (summer azure butterfly)  
Family: Mari Yamamoto (mother), unknown father  
Dreamcast: Haruka Suenaga**

**Full Name: Mari Yamamoto  
Birthdate: May 10, 1844  
Fangire Type: Insect Class - Widow Fangire (black widow spider)  
Family: Ch****ōko Yamamoto (daughter)  
Dreamcast: Mitchi Love**

* * *

_Monday, November 10__th__, 2008_

Yamamoto Chōko had been born on January 20th, 1987 to a single mother, a Fangire woman who taught her to be proud of her heritage, of her superiority above all humans. Her mother, Yamamoto Mari, held a high-ranking and high-earning position in a computer software company, and had attained it through careful manipulation, making friends with the right people, and occasionally killing a human in her way, though she was very careful about that. She craved power and respect, and she stopped at almost nothing to get it. She wanted the best for her daughter, so she accepted nothing short of perfection from her.

Chōko endured, pushing herself through private school and university. She was comfortable with her life there. The work was challenging but not overwhelming. Her marks were in the top five of most of her classes, and she was a member of a couple societies that would look good on her resumé. That many of her schoolmates were actually enjoyable to be around helped ease the pressure of her studies, though she tried not to socialise with them outside of schoolwork or society meetings. She didn't tell her mother that she was beginning to question the idea that humans existed solely to be food for Fangires.

The only drawback in her life was that she had no idea what she wanted for her future, even with her final semester approaching. She had a flair for business, but the idea of following her mother's footsteps was just unappealing. Her other skills lay in the realm of politics, so perhaps that could be a feasible option.

Then, one Monday morning in November, when she was twenty-one, disaster struck.

Chōko woke up that day feeling incredibly energised for some reason. She went through the motions of getting dressed and washing up, but when she reached for her toothbrush, she saw something that nearly made her scream. Emblazoned the back of her left hand was a tattoo of a black queen chess piece and a rose. The mark of the Fangire Queen.

She may not have been certain of what she _wanted_ for her future, but she knew that she _didn't_ want _this_, to be married to the King and bear his children when she hadn't even met him. Hell, there was a very good chance that she wouldn't even _like_ him!

Her mother, of course, would be ecstatic. This would be Chōko's ticket to power and prestige, and of course as her mother, Mari would gain some considerable status as well.

* * *

_Sunday, February 1__st__, 2009_

Chōko went out of her way to hide the mark from her mother for the next few months. Generously-applied concealer and gloves did the trick. But her luck ran out in February, about three months after she woke up with that accursed mark. She was doing the dishes before her mother came home, and was particularly stressed out after her busy day. So she wasn't being careful about covering it up, or the fact that the soapy dishwater was washing the concealer off. After all, she had enough time to get the job done and the stuff re-applied before her mother returned, right? Wrong.

Her mother came back from work earlier than usual that evening. She'd just finished an extensive series of meetings and was looking to de-stress. "Chōko, could you be a dear and fetch me the sake?"

Chōko's mind was currently on a school project, so she moved on autopilot, drying her hands and grabbing the bottle from the cupboard above the sink. She made her way to the living room, where her mother was sitting on the couch. Mari gratefully took the bottle from Chōko, and when she did, she spotted the mark on her daughter's palm.

"Chōko, what is that?" she gasped. Chōko tried to stick her hand behind her back, but quick as a flash, Mari grabbed her wrist. She was so shocked when she realised what it was that she actually dropped the sake bottle (which thankfully landed on the couch cushions and didn't break).

Chōko was frozen with panic. "Kaa-san, I-"

"When did this happen?!" her mother demanded, a big smile growing on her face, "Never mind, this is wonderful! My daughter, Queen of the Checkmate Four! Oh, the doors this will open for us!"

Maybe her mother thought that being Queen opened opportunities, but Chōko saw herself doomed to being chained to some stranger who would probably expect her to obey his every command.

Mari continued her excited chatter. "Oh, we'll have to figure out where to find the King! With you at his side, maybe he'll come back to his senses and forget that silly nonsense of befriending humans. Honestly, the things we could do!"

* * *

_Tuesday, March 3__rd__, 2009_

Chōko didn't know how her mother managed to learn where to find the King, but either way, she found herself being dragged into a dinky little café a month later, over to a pair of men about her age sitting at a table by the windows. Her mother had insisted that she dressed nicely, so she wore a pale blue silky shirt with sleeves made entirely of dark blue lace with a butterfly pattern, along with black dress pants and a silver butterfly necklace. "Which one of you is King?" her mother demanded eagerly.

The two of them exchanged a glance and tensed up; the one with auburn hair looked ready to defend himself. "I am," the other man declared, heavy suspicion laced in his tone, "Who are you, and why do you ask?" Chōko supposed the rumours of assassination attempts were true. Her future looked bleaker and bleaker by the day now.

Mari pulled Chōko forward. "This is my daughter, Yamamoto Chōko," she announced proudly, "She is the new Queen."

The two men's jaws dropped a bit comically. It was _almost_ enough to make her laugh on the inside, but not quite. Instead, she took the opportunity to examine her… future husband. He was definitely a good-looking guy, dressed in a white leather jacket over a blue t-shirt, jeans, and a single black leather glove covering his left hand.

"The new Queen..." his companion whispered, having gotten over his shock first, "So soon..." He was rather attractive as well, it must be said. He wore black jeans, a black t-shirt, a brown corduroy jacket, a white scarf, and a pair of white fingerless gloves. His eyes grew sad, however. So did the King's, for that matter.

Before Chōko could ponder that further, the King spoke. "It seems we have a lot to discuss, but not here. Perhaps we should move this conversation elsewhere?"

* * *

Chōko tried not to show her shock when she saw the castle. It wasn't every day that one saw a building fused with a Doran. She'd heard the rumours, but...

The sleepy-looking creature looked up upon their approach and growled lowly. King's companion, earlier introduced as his younger brother Kurenai Wataru, sighed and went over to rub its scaly nose. "It's fine," he murmured, "They're with us. Go back to sleep." The Doran actually made a sort of cooing sound as he scratched its snout before settling its large head back down.

As they entered, torches and candelabras lit a hallway to a modern-looking sitting room, which honestly surprised Chōko as well, as she was expecting something far more archaic. The King and his brother sat down, and motioned for her and her mother to do the same. King was just about to speak when two more people entered. The first was a man in his late thirties in a butler's suit, though his bowtie and the top few buttons on his shirt were undone. He eyed the Yamamoto women suspiciously.

The second was another woman, appearing about Chōko's age, possibly, but it was hard to tell with Fangires, and she was very sickly-looking. She wore a plain black dress and shawl, as well as a leather patch over her right eye. "Taiga," she inquired in a soft voice, "Wataru, who are your guests?"

"The new Queen, apparently," Kurenai mumbled, "And her mother."

The man tensed up and frowned. "Are you alright here?"

"We're fine," King replied. The man didn't look reassured until Kurenai nodded in confirmation. Chōko got the feeling that the man didn't trust her or her mother.

"Still, I'll let Riki and Ramon know. Just yell if you need anything." And he moved out of the doorframe and into the hall, leaving the door itself ajar.

The woman looked at Chōko with a strange expression that might have been pity, or maybe regret, before sitting down. "I am Maya, Taiga and Wataru's mother. I must say, we weren't expecting the new Queen to emerge this soon."

Chōko knew who she was. Every Fangire knew about the exiled former Queen who'd fallen in love with a mere human. But she was supposed to still be in exile, so why was she allowed in the castle? Chōko supposed it was by her son's permission.

Her own mother stiffened just slightly beside her. "Well, we started looking to contact the King the very day my Chōko gained the mark." Her voice now had a chilly edge directed at Maya. "I must say, King, you were difficult to find."

The King had clearly picked up on her attitude, for his voice was also colder as he replied: "Well, with so many out for my blood, that was my intention. It's rather difficult to kill someone you can't find."

"That is true. There have been numerous rumours about you flying around, so many that I truly don't know what to think. Is it true that you have forged an alliance with the humans?"

King narrowed his eyes at her incredulous tone. "My brother is half-human, and I was raised by a human. Let me make this clear: I intend to bring peace between the Fangires and the humans. I understand that it will not be easy, and that I might fail. Perhaps my goal won't be achieved in my lifetime, but I will at least set the base. The company I run is already searching for an energy source to replace Life Energy, in order to eliminate the need for Fangires to feed on humans for sustenance."

Chōko was taken aback. Many of the whispers going around suggested that the King had discovered a supposed half-human relative and as a result was becoming soft on humans. They didn't suggest that he had such an ambitious and radical plan. It would be impossible to convert the entire culture of the Fangire Race in one lifetime (even one that could last centuries), as it had been essentially the same for millennia. No wonder so many were after him! Her future husband must have a death wish.  
Her heart sank further as she realised that as Queen, she would be targeted for the same reason. Chōko's future was looking shorter and bleaker by the minute.

"My, how ambitious," her mother commented. Her voice had taken on the falsely-enthusiastic tone she used when pretending to be interested in something just for the sake of appearances or buttering someone up. "You have quite a project ahead of you."

Her mother would go along with it for now, Chōko knew. Yamamoto Mari craved power, and having her daughter as Queen would give her a big boost of influence. Chōko saw nothing but trouble for herself, having to persuade the King to give up on his suicidal quest, possibly risking his wrath if she went about it the wrong way.

Just then, a boy of about thirteen poked his head in. "Hey hey. Shima-san and the Nago's are here. Something about the meeting they had this morning."

The two brothers stood at the exact same time. "Did he say how it went?" King asked urgently. He turned to the Yamamoto women. "I'm sorry, something has just come up. We'll have to continue this talk some other time. Ramon will see you out."

Seeing no other choice, Chōko got up, followed by her mildly-offended mother, and left the room. She could tell, when she got closer, that this 'Ramon' was neither human nor Fangire. Then what was he? He was quiet as he led them out of the castle, and Chōko could feel the tension coming off him and see the constant sideways glances he was giving them. He didn't seem too comfortable with their presence. Then again, it seemed no one connected to the King did, either.

* * *

As they were heading home, Mari turned to her daughter, equal parts excited and worried. "This is worse than I feared," she stated, "If the King keeps going on this path, he will drive the Fangire Race into chaos and extinction! It will be difficult to put him back on the track, especially with the humans and that half-breed hanging around him. And those other two; I think they were a Wolfen and a Merman, those rumoured last survivors of their races. They will all have to go, but you must gain his trust first. Simply eliminating them could backfire, and cause him to try and avenge them instead."

Chōko tuned her out, thinking about what King had said from a different perspective. She'd gone to school with many humans, and though she didn't really socialise with them, gaining a reputation as an 'ice queen', she had noticed some admirable people among them. The very people who made her question why humans were considered inferior. Maybe King's goal would be impossible to achieve, but barring that fact, Chōko wasn't sure that she disliked.

* * *

_Wednesday, March 4__th__, 2009_

Chōko barely got any sleep that night. She was too occupied with worrying about what she was going to do. Her mother would eventually come up with a more concrete plan to undermine the King, or at least his plans, and Chōko herself would undoubtedly have to have to play a large role in it. Her best guess was that she would essentially be acting as a spy, and messing with the King's plan to create peace with the humans, probably by sabotaging his relationships with his supporters. It was likely to require every bit of her acting abilities and wordsmithing skills, and one slip-up could put her on the receiving end of the King's wrath.

The next morning, they got a phone call from the King, detailing the location of a small, but high-end, restaurant, at which they would meet for supper and to begin discussing wedding plans. During her classes that day, Chōko didn't hear a word of her professors' lectures, too full of dread to focus.

She dressed up nicely for the dinner with shaking hands, picking out a midnight-blue sleeveless silk dress with black trim and a dark silvery wrap embroidered with blue butterflies (her favourite colours were black, blue, and silver). She did her long, black hair up in a bun, her bangs held back by a silvery butterfly barrette.

When Chōko and Mari arrived at the restaurant, the King was already waiting at their table with his half-blood brother, his mother, and an unidentified man in his fifties. The brothers were bent over the same menu, but looked up as the two women approached them.

The man was introduced as Shima Mamoru, the human who had raised King. Oddly, though, he seemed more comfortable with Kurenai, out of all the people there. Mari began discussing wedding dates as soon as greetings were exchanged and drinks were ordered. She'd had to seat herself next to Shima, much to her discomfort, in order to place Chōko beside the King.

The two newly-betrothed young adults avoided eye contact all throughout the meal. Her mother had brought the schedules of as many of her well-connected friends as she could contact that day. She wanted to show off her great fortune in having her daughter become the Queen, and needed as many of those people present as possible. The King and his family didn't seem too pleased by this, and Chōko didn't blame them. There were many Fangires who wanted him dead; of course having strangers attending his wedding would be potentially dangerous.

By the time dessert arrived, they'd finally agreed on a tentative date, April 14th, which was just a little more than a month away. At that point, Chōko excused herself to go to the restroom. She needed a moment to collect herself, to just breathe, away from everyone else. This was moving _way_ too fast, and she was scared, dammit. Her life was rapidly changing without her consent, and she felt like she was being spun around and around.

"Pull it together," she told herself, "Go back out there and hold your head up high, and deal with it."

As she left the ladies' room, she nearly bumped into the King himself. "I'm sorry," she muttered, and made to return to the table.

"Wait." Chōko stopped in her tracks when he spoke to her. "I know you're not happy about all this. Frankly, neither am I. I loved the last Queen, even if she didn't love me back. It hasn't been that long, really, since she was murdered on what was supposed to be our wedding day, so you can imagine how hard it is to be getting married mere months later."

Chōko sighed. "I rather liked my life the way it was before this damn mark appeared. Nothing will be the same anymore; I guess I won't be able to finish my exams, or get a job. I only had about two weeks of classes left, too." She hadn't yet turned to face him.

"Who says you have to give all that up? While the old traditions would have you leaving your old life behind, this is the twenty-first century."

"Oh." It felt like a small portion of the heavy weight on her shoulders had been lifted. "Well, thank you, I guess." She finally turned around to look at him. "So we agree that neither of us is overly pleased with this arrangement, and since there's nothing we can do to stop it, short of me dying, can we at least try to not to make things any more difficult for each other?"

He seemed to relax a bit, and nodded. "I'd be okay with that." Chōko had noticed the sadness in his voice when he'd spoken about his last fiancé. Asking him to marry her when he was still mourning had to be some sort of cruel joke the universe was playing on him.

They made no mention of their conversation when they returned to the table, though Kurenai gave his brother an odd, searching look, then caught Chōko's eye and subtly nodded. She figured he'd picked up on the King's lower stress levels and figured it out.

Her mother went on about guest lists and seating plans and invitations and dresses on the way home, but Chōko mostly tuned her out. Her agreement with King had (mostly) snapped her out of her panic. She would make the best out of her situation, somehow, instead of lamenting it. It was what Yamamoto women did.

* * *

**I now have the basic plotlines written for the rest of the base Knightverse fics, though they will always be subject to change. The posting order, after this chapter, is this: 'Queen' Ch 2, 'Rook', 'Queen' Ch 3, 'Bishop', and 'King'. The other fics, 'The Bachelor Party' and 'Moving On', will come along after that, along with two other unnamed fics that focus on Maya's past and Nago and Megumi's first few years.**

**So like I said above, this preview scene may or may not be the same in the final product of Chapter 2, or might not even happen at all. But here it is:**

_**Her dress was entirely black, something Ichijo had been confused by, but she'd gone along with it. Her kōhai had definitely been paying attention to Chōko's fashion preferences. The bodice was made of shiny silk, with black sequins sewn in that glittered in flickering candlelight. The neckline swept gracefully downward without showing too much cleavage, and the sleeves were made of a see-through black fabric, tight around her upper arms before opening into bell sleeves. The skirt was also silk, and covered with black lace. It flowed outward, just brushing the floor as she walked.**_

_**Her mother helped her adjust her veil. The night before, she'd alternated between obsessively going through the guest list to make sure everyone who'd RSVP'd was coming and sobbing about how her baby was growing up. Chōko had just sat in numerous spots throughout the house, getting up and moving to a new spot every five minutes until her mother forced her to go to bed. "We don't want the bride to have dark bags under her eyes."**_


	2. Chapter 2: The Wedding

**Review Replies:**

**AKA99:** Yeah, you've only just seen the beginning of Mari's bitchiness, the full extent of which won't come up until Chapter 3.

**D.N.S Akina:** Sorry, but Mio's gone. She died in the show, so she's dead in my fics. Besides, as much as it's not her fault, her presence nearly tore the brothers apart.

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kamen Rider Kiva, but I own Chōko and Mari**

**WORD COUNT: 2668**

**Edit 02/16/2016: I have made some changes, adding another element to the wedding ceremony as well as inserting a scene that somehow got deleted when I first posted this. It's not a new scene, it was actually meant to be there all along.**

* * *

_Tuesday, March 31__st__, 2009_

"So, is everyone clear on what they need to do?" the project leader asked the room in general. This was the volunteering society's last meeting before the exam period started, so everyone in the group had to be aware of what they would be responsible for preparing, for the end-of-year fundraiser they were organising. "Good. We'll meet up again April fourteenth, since luckily we'll all be finished our exams by then." All the members had handed their exam schedules in as soon as they were made available, and thankfully they would all be finishing early.

But Chōko had something else planned, unfortunately. "I'm afraid that won't work for me," she admitted, "I'm… getting married on that day."

A couple of jaws dropped. Not one of them had known that Yamamoto Chōko was engaged. Hell, they hadn't even known she'd been seeing anyone! This, of course, was because she hadn't. Chōko had only met her fiancé mere weeks ago, and they certainly hadn't been dating. They were only marrying because Ancient Law decreed it, as King and Queen of the Fangire Race.

"Really?!" one guy gasped, "Why didn't you say anything?!" Another reason none of them had expected this was that though she put plenty of effort and time into their activities, Chōko was more than a bit anti-social amongst the society members. She preferred to work behind the scenes, unless they needed her to debate with a particularly obstinate person.

Chōko shrugged. "My mother arranged it, and I didn't want to make a fuss."

Ichijo Mio, a girl just finishing her first year, hopped up and hugged her. She was the only one of them brave enough to enter the older woman's personal space. "Well, congratulations, Chōko-sempai!" And to use her given name. "Do you have your dress yet? If you don't, I could totally design it for you! Consider it my wedding gift to you!" Ichijo was majoring in fashion and design, and she'd been the driving force behind the volunteering society's clothing drive.

The very mention of a dress had Chōko wincing. She did have one, but… "My mother wants me to wear her mother's wedding dress…" She'd tried it on for alterations, but the material was itchy, heavy, and stifling, and her grandmother had had a thing for bows. Big bows. All over. At first, she'd tried to use the excuse that the Queen's wedding dress needed to be black, but her mother had waved it off, saying they could simply dye it once the tailors were done. "And besides, the dress would need to be ready by the fourteenth. You wouldn't have time to finish it _and_ study for your exams."

Ichijo grinned impishly. "Just watch me." Before either of them could say any more, her phone vibrated. "Oh, that's Akio-kun. He's waiting downstairs to pick me up." Ichijo scribbled her number down on a random spare scrap of paper, along with a second number. "If you change your mind, you can call me at this number, or you can use my cousin's custom clothing service. They can get a dress put together for you in no time." Then she took off, leaving Chōko to fend for herself as the rest of the society's members swarmed her with questions.

* * *

_Wednesday, April 1__st__, 2009_

The next day, Chōko made up her mind, and called Ichijo. "I'd like you to design the dress for me," she requested, "I looked up your cousin's service, and their website says they make custom formal wear; perhaps they could take care of actually making the dress so that you won't be distracted from your exams."

Ichijo agreed, and they met at her dorm that evening to come up with a design. The younger woman hadn't even batted an eye when Chōko said it had to be a black dress.

The dressmaking service would be expensive, but King had already offered to pay for it. Chōko was glad for that, because the final estimate had been a bit out of her price range.

* * *

_Tuesday, April 14__th__, 2009_

After a month of nervous preparation and anticipation, the fateful day had arrived, Chōko had gone in to be fitted for her dress two days ago, and had picked the finished product up yesterday. Her mother had lamented the fact that she wasn't wearing her grandmother's old dress, but had quickly gotten over it when she saw the new one.

Ichijo and her cousin had outdone themselves. The bodice was made of black velvet, with black jewels sewn in all around her lower torso that glittered in the light when she moved. The neckline swept down gracefully and modestly. The sleeves were made of a transparent, black gauzy fabric. They hugged her arms from shoulder to elbow, but then opened up to flowing bell sleeves with a slit that began half-way between her wrists and elbows. The skirt was made of shiny ebony silk, cut narrowly to emphasise her figure, but leaving enough room for her to walk easily. Over it was a second skirt made entirely of jet-black lace in a beautiful floral design.

Overall, Chōko was very pleased with it. If she was going to be forced to get married, at least she could do it in the most beautiful dress she'd ever wear.

* * *

Taiga knew Wataru was getting annoyed with his pacing, but he couldn't stop to save his life right now. He was anxious and confused and a little bit angry, and he just couldn't settle down. Who could, in this situation?

"Nii-san," Wataru said quietly, "It might be better if you sat down."

"I'm fine," Taiga snapped.

The Knight wasn't having any of it, though, and literally got up and forced the King into his chair. "Nago-san wasn't nearly this bad," he stated, though Taiga disagreed. He'd missed that wedding, only managing to arrive after the Neo-Fangire crashed the party, but he'd heard enough to know that Ixa's user had been a nervous wreck. Taiga didn't think he was quite there yet.

"I just… I don't want this. I mean, I know there's no backing out of it, but it doesn't mean I should be happy about it!" He sighed, running his hand through his hair. "I wonder if this is how Kaa-san felt," he admitted, "When she was about to marry my father."

Wataru was quiet at that.

"I mean, why the hell does it have to be like this? Why can't the powers, or whatever or whoever dictates this stuff choose a Queen that her King could love, and vice-versa? Why not all that soulmate crap you find in fantasy books?"

His brother sat down next to him. "I don't know, Nii-san. All I know is that you're strong enough to get through this."

"I agree." Both brothers jumped, having not heard Shima coming in. "If it helps, I think your bride is just as nervous."

"Yeah, we've promised to do our best to not make each other miserable, though." Taiga sighed, taking out his picture of Mio. "I guess she'd be happy about this," he murmured.

Wataru squeezed his big brother's shoulder, but didn't say anything. They both missed the last Queen dearly, so much that it hurt, but rarely spoke about her. There was too much hurt attached to those memories, hurt that had almost torn them apart before. They were doing their best to move past it.

* * *

It was time. Her mother was hastily fixing her black veil, even though it was already on straight, but Chōko was too nervous to tell her to quit it. She felt like she would throw up if she opened her mouth.

When the music began, Chōko and her mother began to walk down the aisle. Her mother was beaming, enjoying every minute of it. Nearly all the important guests she'd wanted to come had done so, and so she got to show her good fortune off to all of them. On the other side of the church hall, the King's crowd consisted of his mother, his brother, Shima, and the three 'Arms Monsters'. The first three were there to support the King, and the other three had come just in case someone tried to take advantage of the gathering. The King himself stood up front by a small table.

Chōko felt like she couldn't breathe as she took her place next to him. It wasn't just the stress of having to get married against her will, though; she couldn't deny that he looked _good_ in a tuxedo. At least this was a positive point.

He was visibly tense as he began. Fangire wedding ceremonies didn't require a priest or any other sort of official. They just needed the bride and groom plus at least one witness. "Chōko, proud Fangire Queen. Do thee swear eternal loyalty to the King?"

She took a deep, shaky breath before answering. "I swear."

The King took a set of jeweled chains from the table and took Chōko's clasped hands. Chōko didn't like this part – it was like he was making her his prisoner – but she stood still and allowed him to bind her wrists with them. He then picked up the crystal goblet filled with red wine with shaking hands and drank half of it, before handing it to her. Chōko took it, nearly dropping it, and brought it up under her veil. She wasn't much of a wine drinker, and had to fight a grimace as the liquid went down her throat.

He picked up one of the last two items on the table: a diamond-shaped gold amulet on a chain with a round amethyst stone in the middle, and put it on. It was one of the amulets worn by the Checkmate Four during formal ceremonies, and this one was designated specifically for the King. Chōko turned around and allowed him to place the second one, smaller with a more delicate chain and a stone of dark blue iolite, around her neck. She couldn't understand why the feel of his fingers brushing against her skin as he fastened it sent shivers down her spine.

As King lifted her veil, Chōko felt her chest tighten, but allowed him to lean in. The kiss was short, gentle, and hesitant. And for some reason, it sent a small, pleasant shiver down her spine and caused her cheeks to heat up. His face was flushed as well as they pulled away.

What was that? Why was her heart pounding? Why was she once again having difficulty breathing?

As she allowed him to take her arm and lead her from the room amongst the quiet applause of their guests, her mind was swimming with questions.

* * *

The reception her mother had organised was incredibly tedious. All of her mother's guests came by to congratulate the fairly agitated couple, while King's family was avoided like the plague. No 'respectable' Fangire wanted to be near the traitor ex-Queen, the human, the half-breed, and their bodyguards, though they were smart enough to not actually say so. King, of course, tried to take advantage of that, pulling Chōko over to them to get a break from the pointless, sucking-up chit-chat. She found their presence oddly soothing, if only because Knight talked about the antics of his friend Kengo at another friend's bachelor party, along with other tales, in order to ease the tension. Of course, Mari would inevitably come out of the crowd and pull them away to talk to another guest.

After the guests were finally chased off, the newlywed King and Queen had to sit for their wedding portrait, and Chōko was just thankful it was a photograph and not a painting, though the photographer was very fussy about the lighting and their exact positions. It took almost an hour to take a couple pictures, and by the time they were done, Chōko was exhausted and ready for bed.

But that was where the next hurdle laid.

* * *

Chōko's mother had initially planned on booking them a luxury hotel suit for the wedding night, but King had shot that down the second he heard it. Apparently the psychic bond between him and Knight prevented them from being too far away from each other, at least not comfortably. The only place where they could put some distance between them as Castle Doran, where they'd be living anyway.

So that was how Chōko found herself sitting in the King's bedchamber, wearing her silk nightgown and wondering what to do next. Her new husband sat next to her, silently picking at the bedspread.

"So…" Chōko began, blushing, "Have you ever… before…"

"No." His response was quiet. "Never really found anyone I liked that much. Well, except…" He trailed off, and Chōko knew he was talking about. The Queen before her, the one who'd died on the day of their wedding. The one that didn't love him back. "You?"

"No. I've never even had a boyfriend." Her mother had wanted her to be independent, just as she'd been. Mari had never expressed interest in settling down and starting a family, or even having a long-term relationship. She only went after a man if she needed his favour to achieve her goals (but she wouldn't go all the way with a human; the one line she wouldn't cross). Chōko herself had been accidentally conceived as a result of one such affair, and all she knew about her father was that he was wealthy and good at making child support payments on time.

In fact, Mari had spent the last couple of nights lecturing her daughter on tricks to use in bed, in order to seduce her way into the King's favour. She saw this marriage just as she saw all of her affairs: a useful tool in her quest for power. But Chōko was _not_ ready for that.

"I see." Silence pervaded once again. Chōko awkwardly shifted her weight. She looked over at her new husband, and realised that he was staring at her already. Hesitantly, he reached over and placed his hand on hers. His touch was surprisingly warm. Their eyes met. The two young adults knew this was necessary, and honestly, though they weren't going to admit it out loud, neither of them minded it quite as much as they did the other stuff. Because there was definitely a physical attraction there.

It was Chōko who acted first, leaning in and kissing him again. He stiffened in surprise at first, then relaxed, and pulled her closer to him. Their bodies took over for them at that point. Chōko felt her breaths getting shorter as his fingers slipped under the spaghetti straps of her nightgown, and she began to undo the buttons of the dress shirt he was still wearing.

* * *

An unknown amount of time later, Chōko laid on the bed, soaked in sweat. Her partner settled next to her, breathing heavily. She felt incredibly sore between her legs, but that was insignificant. Whatever she'd been imagining before, her first experience had been incredible, surpassing all expectations.

Chōko glanced over at her husband, who was already starting to fall asleep. She knew she was close behind him, as sure enough, her eyes were starting to drift shut.

The last thing to go through her head before sleep claimed her was that maybe she wouldn't be able to love him, but this part wouldn't be so bad. Not at all.

* * *

**Yeah... I'm not really pleased with how that last scene turned out, to be honest.**

**After this, I'm posting 'Rook' before the final chapter of 'Queen'. Here's a preview:**

_**Katsurō flopped onto his hotel bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering if he'd just lied to his wife. Caitlin had picked up on his tension through the phone, and had asked about it when he'd gotten to the hotel and called her back. He'd said that it was fine, that at worst he'd be shunned and ignored by the very people he was searching out. He'd promised that he'd be back with her soon enough.**_

_**He'd never told her that his beliefs could put him on the receiving end of a brutal assault at best and dead at worst.**_

**Also, happy early 26th birthday to Keisuke Katō, aka Nago-san!**


	3. Chapter 3: The Heir

**I'm back, everyone! I had to go on hiatus because of school, and will be doing so again come January through March and a bit into April. And aside from random one-shot plot bunnies that don't take too long, I will be taking a break from most of my fandoms to work on my Digimon Frontier series 'Return to the Digital World', the fourth installment of which has been on-hold for _years_. This is a much newer fandom for me, as this time last year I was just getting into Kamen Rider.**

**So it'll be a while before anything new comes out for Knightverse, but I'm also posting a new KR Drive fic _very_ soon, possibly even later today - keep an eye out for it.**

**This chapter is much, _much_ longer than the other two, so you might want to make yourself comfortable before reading.**

**Enjoy!**

**Also thanks to Iccirion for becoming the official Beta for all my Kamen Rider stories!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kamen Rider Kiva or any of its characters.**

**WORD COUNT: 7298  
TOTAL: 13256  
**

* * *

In the days after their marriage, Chōko and Taiga had developed an unspoken arrangement. She had her own private bedchambers, but every few nights they would sleep in his room together, and attempt to conceive a child, because her primary duty as Queen was to produce an heir for him.

They both had mixed feelings about that.

Taiga knew he had a strong sense of duty, but he couldn't help but wish that it was Mio who would be bearing his child. Mio… The hole her death had left in his heart was like a gaping pit of sorrow and regret. He wished he'd listened to her, considered her feelings more. Even if a small part of him knew that if she'd lived, the rift between him and Wataru would have grown instead of healing. Maybe it was that regret that had him feeling so sorry for this new Queen, who was just as trapped now as Mio had been. Even more so, possibly.

On the other hand, he was determined to be a good father. Had he lived long enough for Taiga to at least have memories of him, his own father would most likely not have been the best example; far from it, in fact. If he'd truly been completely fine with murdering his own son to punish Kaa-san, then Taiga wanted to be nothing like the last King. His childhood with Shima-san had also been less than ideal, though at least now the two of them were owning up to their screw-ups regarding each other, and Taiga found himself getting along with his foster-father much better. Either way, he wanted to give his future child the care and support that he himself had been denied.

Chōko's situation was a bit more complicated. She'd never really planned on having a child, hadn't even given much thought to it. So she was suddenly finding herself in a situation where impending motherhood was pretty much a given, and quite frankly, it scared the hell out of her. Her own mother, of course, was already working out the best possible way to use it to her – sorry, _their_ advantage.

As Chōko had guessed, she was being instructed to gain the King's trust, and to find the cracks in his relationships with his supporters. There would be more to the plan, of course, but that all depended on what she learned. From her observation, the King's closest ties were with his brother, the Knight. His relationships with his mother and human foster-father were warm but a bit strained, and all his other supporters, mostly all humans, seemed to actually be the Knight's friends, not his own. It appeared that he actually had some bad history with them, giving Chōko the impression that Knight was the only reason they worked with the King. Only Eritate Kengo was really making an effort; Chōko had heard that he'd been a bit of an ass in the past, and was trying to make up for it.

As for the child – or possibly even _children_ – Mari was positive that it would help greatly in the trust department. She also planned on being heavily involved in raising her grandchild, teaching it the good old, traditional values of the Fangires. After all, if Chōko bore a son, he would eventually become the new King one day.

At least, Chōko came to realise, she was actually somewhat lucky, in that her husband was a good person. They often spent a good portion of their nights together just talking, after they were done with their other activities. The King did his best to not push her boundaries, or force her into anything she was unwilling to do. He actually apologised for their situation until Chōko finally got tired of it and told him to cut it out, that it wasn't his fault. He even started asking her for her opinion on small matters. He shared bits of his past with her, like the time he and Knight had first become friends as children. This, of course, had led to him explaining how they'd been separated when they were very young, and hadn't even known they were brothers until less than a year ago.

What was strange was that Chōko found herself opening up to him as well. She told him about her work with the volunteer society, going into far more detail than she would have if she'd been talking to her mother. She could share her views and opinions of her peers as _people_, not as stupid humans she had to use and put up with.

Chōko wasn't sure, but she thought that maybe she and her husband were now friends.

* * *

_Thursday, July 9__th__, 2009_

Chōko groaned as she flushed the toilet again. She'd been throwing up a lot for the past couple of weeks, and she'd missed her last period three weeks ago, but hadn't realised it until yesterday. Hoping her suspicions were wrong, she glanced over at the little white test she'd taken a couple minutes ago. It still hadn't beeped, yet.

She didn't want to be pregnant, not yet. Sure, they'd been trying to conceive since the wedding night less than three months ago, but that was more out of duty than anything. It hadn't occurred to Chōko that it would happen _this_ fast. It had felt like something much farther into the future, but now here it was. She'd been planning on starting graduate studies next September, too, in Law.

The test beeped, startling her, and Chōko picked it up with shaky hands. She closed her eyes, praying that she'd just had food poisoning, and that it would come up negative. No such luck. When she looked, the young Queen was faced with a little blue plus sign staring defiantly up at her.

Graduate studies were going to have to wait a bit.

* * *

_Thursday, July 30__th__, 2009_

As it stood, it took Chōko three full weeks to tell the King that they were going be parents. She did her best to keep her symptoms under wraps, watching what she ate despite the growth in her appetite and hiding her morning sickness. To her frustration, she was still putting on weight, and had to wear looser clothing to conceal it.

It wasn't even her husband's reaction that she was worried about. It was her mother's. The woman was eager for grandchildren, but Chōko didn't really… want her to influence this baby. She'd formed her own opinions on the world long ago, and they didn't quite all agree with the values that Mari would undoubtedly try to force on the child.

It was when the King pulled her aside one morning, concerned about her recent secretive behaviour, that she decided to tell him.

The look on his face was a mix of surprise, relief (he'd probably been worried about something more sinister), and a touch of excitement. "You're… you're sure?" he asked, once he regained his voice.

Chōko nodded, keeping a poker face on. "I've taken a home test, and I've been experiencing the expected symptoms, but I still don't know how far along I am."

"Oh. Okay. That's… Are you alright? Do you need to sit down?"

She shook her head, refraining from commenting that he looked like _he_ was the one who needed to sit down. "No, I'm fine right now."

They announced it at dinner that night. Chōko's mother promptly burst into tears of pride and joy. The human Eritate Kengo, who'd popped by to visit the brothers (mainly Knight), pounded King on the back in congratulations.

Most of the others reacted with surprise and varying degrees of happiness for the parents-to-be. The only one who didn't seem shocked was the Wolfen Jirō, who, when asked, simply rolled his eyes and tapped his nose. Of course he had smelled the hormone changes that came with pregnancy. At least he'd respected her privacy enough to keep silent on the matter.

* * *

_Friday, July 31__th__, 2009 – 10 Weeks_

The next day, Chōko, her mother, King, and Knight went to a local clinic to get the baby checked out. Chōko found out that she just over ten weeks along, and got a couple copies of the ultrasound photo and a list of recommended gynecologists.

Mari fussed over her the whole time, to the point that Chōko was feeling more than a little claustrophobic. She wanted to send announcements to all her colleagues, for the same reason she'd wanted certain guests at the wedding – to show off. King, thankfully, had put a stop to that. Chōko had been lucky to have not been a target in the recent attacks yet, but that could change once word got out that she was carrying his child. That reality had been enough to shut her mother up.

For her part, Chōko was just getting sick of being used to elevate Mari's position. Her mother hadn't been expecting to have her, either, and had simply turned her situation to her advantage. Chōko wondered if she'd be expected to put her own child through the same thing. Her hand drifted subconsciously over her still-flat stomach, a habit she'd developed since it had first occurred to her that she might be pregnant.

* * *

_Friday, October 30th, 2009 – 23½ Weeks_

Three months had passed since her pregnancy was announced, and Chōko was bored to tears. She was barely allowed to do anything besides sit around all day, what she ate was strictly regulated, and she had nothing to do! For the first couple of days, she didn't mind the rest, but Chōko had never been an idle person – she'd always had some sort of assignment or project to work on – and the inactivity was driving her insane!

Right now, she was in one of the Castle's sitting rooms, reading a random novel, but if she were asked what it was about, she wouldn't be able to say. The Castle was all but deserted at the moment. King was at work, with Knight ever-present at his side. They were meeting with the new Rook to discuss recruitment plans. Her mother was off taking care of… something, Chōko wasn't really sure what. Maybe picking out baby clothes, or cribs, something that the parents-to-be should really be doing themselves, but that she insisted on doing, anyway. The three Arms Monsters were taking care of other matters within the Castle, but giving her some much-needed space. And the King's mother was visiting Rook's wife and son, recently relocated from the New York Enclave, in their new apartment.

They'd been trying to keep the pregnancy secret for as long as possible, to lower the chances of Chōko being targeted, but by late August, either she'd gotten big enough for someone to have noticed, or her mother hadn't been able to keep the secret to herself, as word reached them that it had become public knowledge in the Fangire community, so she stayed indoors as often as they could manage it, which was actually quite a lot.

Chōko stared blankly at the page before her, trying to focus on the words and ignore the fact that she felt tired, sore, and utterly bloated. At five months, she now had a noticeable bump in her stomach, her feet were constantly swollen, and she'd had to go shopping for a whole new wardrobe because absolutely _nothing_ fit her anymore. She wondered just how much of the extra weight actually came from the baby itself and how much was just the result of eating so much and getting no exercise.

She sighed, and started to get up (just _thinking_ about food for a moment was making her hungry), when something happened that made her freeze in place.

At first, Chōko wondered if she was just imagining it. She'd been feeling the occasional fluttering sensation in her abdomen for the past couple of weeks, but had dismissed them as gas bubbles (and wasn't _that_ another embarrassing downside to being pregnant?). But the odd sensation in her abdomen was felt again, and it _wasn't_ gas. She sat back down heavily, pressing both hands over the bump. Something on the inside pushed against the heel of her right palm.

Her baby was kicking. It was inside her, alive, and _moving_. The reality of it all hit home, and she couldn't help the tear that escaped from her eye, or the excitement that seemed to bubble up inside her. Her child was already right there with her.

"I'm home." Chōko jumped slightly as the King entered the room. "How are you f- What's wrong?"

Chōko beckoned him over. "Nothing," she insisted, "Nothing is _wrong_, but come here!" She grabbed his ungloved right hand and placed it on the spot where she'd felt the child's movement. Sure enough, it started kicking a couple seconds later, and she got the pleasure of seeing a look of shock on his face before a huge grin overtook it.

"Oh my God," he whispered. He looked up at her, and all Chōko could think was that she wished she could see that smile more often. It was probably the only time she'd seen him so happy.

A knock on the door interrupted them, causing King to pull his hand away. Knight poked his head in, his expression apologetic. "Sorry, Nii-san, but we need to head back. One of the recruits is apparently being difficult, at least according to Nago-san."

"Again?" King groaned. Only a handful of his former retinue had remained loyal to his new cause, so the new Rook, Shirakawa Katsurō, had begun recruiting new soldiers for the Royal Army. Many were Fangires who'd fallen in love with humans, who were grateful for the protection the King was offering them and their loved ones. But a few were a bit suspicious of his motives, or were offended by the idea of taking orders from a foreign-raised Fangire, or had other issues. "Okay, we'll go back and deal with that." He looked back at Chōko almost apologetically.

"It's fine," she assured him, before he could say anything, "It's your responsibility, after all."

He nodded somewhat reluctantly. "All right. I'll be back as soon as I can."

* * *

_Saturday, December 12th, 2009 – 29__½__ Weeks_

Tons of shoppers flooded the mall, causing a lot of confusion and chaos, but that was to be expected with the Christmas season approaching. Chōko elbowed her way through the crowd, shopping bags on her arms and the exit in her sights. The fact that she now took up nearly twice as much space as she did last year made her feel a bit more claustrophobic. She was now over six and a half months along, so her stomach had expanded to the point that she could only just barely see the tips of her toes if she put the effort in, and that wouldn't last much longer. Frankly, she felt like a whale.

After finally extracting herself from the crowd, Chōko began to make her way to the car her mother had bought her as a wedding gift. She was just glad to have finished with her Christmas shopping before the rush _really_ started, and looked forward to getting back to Castle Doran (she was still having trouble thinking of it as home) and maybe taking a nap.

"Chōko-sempai!" The sound of her name being called drew the young Queen's attention to a small café situated across the street from the shopping centre. It took her a few seconds, but she spotted her old schoolmate and fellow member of the university's volunteering society, Ichijo Mio. The girl who'd designed her wedding dress. She was sitting at one of the outdoor tables, wearing a red scarf and a white toque with a sprig of fake holly on it, and waving at Chōko excitedly.

Deciding that her bed could wait a little while longer, Chōko walked – more like waddled – over. Her kōhai greeted her with an enthusiastic hug. "I haven't seen you since April, how are you? Well, obviously you're doing well, I mean, look at you! When are you due?"

"In February," Chōko replied, "On the twenty-second."

"Wow, you two didn't wait very long, did you?" Ichijo commented with a suggestive grin on her face, "Wait, when did you find out?"

Chōko blushed. "Early July. I was more than a month along, by that point. Now I'm at twenty-eight weeks. How have you been?" She purposely diverted the conversation, as her pregnancy seemed to be the only thing people wanted to discuss with her, lately.

Ichijo's grin spread even wider in response, and she held up her left hand, displaying the shiny rock. "Akio-kun proposed!" she declared, "Two weeks ago!"

"That's wonderful! Have you set a date yet?"

"Not yet. Actually, I'm here waiting for him so we can discuss that. You haven't met him yet, have you?"

Chōko thought for a minute, and realised that though she'd heard plenty about Hachisuka Akio, she'd never actually met Ichijo's sweetheart.

"Well, if you're not in a rush, I'd love to introduce you two, finally. He should be along any minute."

Chōko chose to stay, her back and legs grateful for the rest. They talked about what ideas Ichijo had for the wedding; the bride-to-be was hoping for an outdoor ceremony in or around June, and was dead set on designing her gown and the bridesmaids' dresses herself. Eventually, they did move on to other topics, though.

Right when Ichijo was starting to talk about her latest classes, a guy her age ran up to them. "Mio!" he gasped, out of breath like he'd been running a marathon.

"Akio-kun! It's about time you got here! This is-"

Her fiancé didn't let her finish, instead grabbing her by the hand and hauling her up out of her chair. "We need to hurry; I'll explain on the way."

"What is going on? What are you so freaked out about? Seriously Akio-kun, you look like you're being chased by a ghost."

"I'll tell you when we're safe, come on!" Ichijo barely had time to snatch her purse from the table before Hachisuka began to tug her away, Chōko watching in bewilderment. However, the couple didn't get far; someone unexpected stepped into their path.

It was Chōko's mother. "Running away with your little whore, are you? You gave your head start up for the human. Weak Fangires like you with no survival instinct, putting meager _meals_ before your own lives; you're a disgrace. You don't _deserve_ to live." Her Fangire markings appeared, and she shifted into her true form, the Widow Fangire.

Hachisuka shielded a terrified Ichijo while all the other shoppers screamed and ran. Mari ignored them. Chōko was stunned. Ichijo's fiancé was a Fangire?

"Akio-kun, what is that?! What is she talking about?"

"Kaa-san?" Chōko gasped, "What are you _doing_?!" The couple glanced back at her, stunned and, in Hachisuka's case, angry.

"I'm simply carrying out your duty," Mari replied calmly, "Until we can convince the King to allow you to do it yourself. Just as I have been doing for the past eight months."

Chōko's heart dropped to the bottom of her stomach. "You… _what_? You've been murdering Fangires since the wedding?!"

"They would have been ready to murder their own kind just to protect some worthless humans. They had to be executed, along with the vermin that drove them to that madness."

"Like hell," Hachisuka snarled, his own markings appearing. He pushed Ichijo back. "Mio, run. Run and don't stop." Then he launched himself at Chōko's mother, transforming into a Coyote Fangire as he did so. Chōko got out of her chair and hurried over to Ichijo, who'd stumbled and fallen, as quickly as she could, given her condition.

"Come on," she insisted, pulling the younger woman along, "He's right, we need to run." With some difficulty, the Queen managed to steer a shocked Ichijo away and around the nearest corner.

"What was that?" Ichijo whimpered, "How did Akio-kun turn into that thing? Chōko-sempai, what's going on? What do you know?!"

Chōko made to reach for her cell phone, but belatedly remembered that it was in her purse, which she'd left behind with her shopping bags. "Do you have your cell with you? I need to call for help."

Ichijo pulled her own purse closer to her chest. "Not until you tell me what's going on!" Her eyes were filling up with tears.

Chōko sighed, exasperated and impatient. "Your fiancé is a being known as a Fangire. So am I, and so is my mother. She thinks he's a traitor of our kind for falling in love with you. Now, please, I don't know how long he'll be able to hold her off, so I _need_ to call someone to help us."

Her kōhai handed the device over with shaking hands. Chōko dialled her husband's number, trying to ignore the crashes and battle noises that sounded too close for comfort. She ushered Ichijo away as the King picked up.

"You need to get to the café in front of the mall. Kaa-san… she's attacking another Fangire. He's engaged to an old classmate of mine. Please, hurry and stop her." She fought down tears, as she knew that they were unlikely to let her mother off with a warning.

"Mio!" Hachisuka appeared from around the corner, covered in blue Fangire blood and staggering with a hand clamped to his side. "Get away from her!" He grabbed Chōko and shoved her away, into a wall. The cell phone fell out of her hand and smashed on the sidewalk.

"Akio-kun!"

Chōko shook her head. "No, I'm not helping her!" she insisted, "I had no idea she was even doing this stuff!"

"Like hell! You're the Queen, aren't you? She's just filling in for you! I should have known those rumours were bull!"

"No! If you mean that loving a human is no longer illegal, that's true! We had no idea she was killing people!" Her heart was thundering wildly when she realised that he still didn't believe her.

"Akio-kun, stop!" Ichijo insisted, "I believe her! She doesn't mean us any harm!"

"You don't know who this is, Mio," Hachisuka growled, his Fangire markings appearing again, "If it weren't for her current condition, she'd've tried to kill us herself. She probably led her mother right to you!"

"No, _you_ don't know her! She's my friend!"

"Ichijo…" Chōko whispered. That was the first time anyone had called her their friend.

A pair of giant, translucent fangs appeared in the air above the younger woman, and before the two Fangires could do or say anything, they jammed into either side of her neck and drained her completely. Ichijo's transparent, lifeless husk of a body collapsed to the ground, her holly hat falling off her head as it did so.

"MIO!" Hachisuka ignored Chōko completely and ran over to his fiancée, but there was nothing that could be done to save her. "Mio, no!" He started sobbing over her.

It felt to Chōko like her heart had just stopped. Her first friend… was gone. Her mother came within view, still in her Fangire form. "You cry over spoiled food. Pathetic wretch. I will put an end to this blight on our Race." The four extra appendages growing out of her back, ending in razor-sharp tips, extended and made to strike.

"NO!" Chōko threw out her hand, the Queen Mark flashing on her palm and her new, unique Fangire Queen marks appearing on her face. A torrent of dark energy burst from her hand and hit the Widow Fangire, knocking Mari back into her human form.

"Chōko? What are you doing?!"

Tears were running hot and fast down her face. "Leave," she ordered, "Leave Japan, and never come back!"

"What are you talking about?" Mari stood up, staring at her daughter with a mix of confusion and frustration. "I've only been upholding the law!"

"No. The cruel law has been revoked, and you know it. What you've been doing is premeditated, unprovoked murder of your own kind. As Queen, I hereby banish you for your crimes."

"Chōko… Y-you can't banish your own mother!"

"The fact that you're my mother is the only reason I won't execute you. I am _Queen_, not a tool for your own agenda. This power is _mine_, not yours. So you can stop trying to use it to get your way. Now go!"

Mari seemed to realise that her daughter was serious and not backing down. She drew herself upright and looked Chōko in the eye. "It seems you have chosen the other side. I will welcome you with open arms when you come back to your senses." And she stalked away.

All the energy seemed to go out of Chōko once her mother was out of sight. She dropped her arm and fell to her knees, hugging herself as sobs overtook her.

Her mother's betrayal stung her to the core. To think, she'd been murdering innocents in Chōko's name for months. She looked over at Ichijo and Hachisuka; the latter was still weeping over his fiancée. How could she not have realised that Ichijo had considered her a friend? The younger woman had been so nice to her, undaunted by her cold, standoffish attitude. And now she was dead, gone before Chōko could return the favour.

A hand touched her shoulder, and Chōko flinched violently before realising that the King had arrived. He was looking down at her worriedly. Chōko looked around and saw Nago Megumi kneeling by Ichijo and Hachisuka while Knight and the new Rook stood guard over them all, mournful expressions on their faces.

"What happened?" the King asked gently, "Where is your mother?"

Chōko shook her head. "I-I… She's gone. She got away. I'm sorry."

* * *

_Sunday, December 13th, 2009 – 29__½__ Weeks_

No one could find any trace of Yamamoto Mari. The Fangire Hunters checked out her apartment, but it seemed she'd been smart enough to not go back there, where they were certain to look first. Shima had people going through it now, trying to figure out what she'd been planning.

Chōko had told them everything she knew with surprisingly little hesitation, but even she wasn't sure if Mari had had a concrete plan any more detailed than 'somehow turn the King against his pro-human supporters'. The revelation of her own role in the plot made them very wary of her; she didn't blame them one bit.

She spent the entirety of the following day in her personal bedchambers, her only company the tiny baby kicking around inside her. She mourned Ichijo, she was furious with her mother, she despaired and worried about what would become of her, and most of all, she replayed the moment in her head, over and over again, of the King's reaction when he'd learned that gaining his trust had been all part of her mother's plans.

But had it?

She hadn't really put that much effort in; nearly all her behaviour towards him had been done with the intent of merely keeping things peaceful between the two of them. So had he simply started to trust her on his own, then?

She looked up when a knock sounded at her door, and glumly allowed whomever it was to enter. It was none other than the King himself. He didn't say anything at first, just shutting the door behind him softly and standing there awkwardly.

"What was your plan?" he asked quietly, once the silence had gone on for more than a minute, "I know what your mother was plotting, but I want to know what your designs were. Please be honest with me, for once."

Chōko ran her hand over her belly absentmindedly. "Ichijo Mio was my friend. My mother always told me that humans were animals, useless for anything other than food, but the people I've met through school… they're nothing like that. I actually have respect for certain humans. So when I heard what you were planning, I was relieved that I wasn't the only one who felt that way. But my mother was already scheming, making plans before I could even voice my opinion.

"After our conversation at the restaurant the day after we met, I decided I'd just make the best of what fate had thrown my way. All I wanted was to get along with you; I never even put any effort in trying to lure you to my mother's side." Her child moved within her softly. "What I don't want is for this child to grow up like I did. I've always been a tool for my mother's ambition; my success bolstered her own reputation. My becoming Queen was just a boost in status for her. And I'm _done_ with being used like that."

She didn't notice the tears until the King hesitantly came over and brushed a couple away with the tips of his fingers. "I believe you," he whispered, "Maybe some would call me a fool to do so, but I do."

The knot that had formed in her gut loosened considerably. She'd been so worried that she might have been punished for her mother's actions, and about what would happen to her baby.

* * *

_Monday, March 1__st__, 2010 – 41 Weeks – Early Morning_

Chōko wasn't sure, at first, what had woken her. She looked up at her alarm clock display; 3:49 blinked at her in red, boxy numerals. Then she felt it, the growing dampness between her legs. She sat up, now fully awake with her heart pounding.

Her water had finally broken. It was about time, as she'd been due a week ago. Her baby was finally coming.

She clumsily got out of bed, in more than a bit of a panic. She still wasn't ready, especially not for labour. Pain relief drugs didn't work on Fangires, which meant it would be a natural birth with a _lot_ of pain. About halfway down the hall to the King's chambers, the first contraction hit Chōko, causing her to double over and hiss in pain and nausea.

It passed after a minute or so. She straightened, feeling nauseous, but continued on. The King's chambers actually consisted of three rooms; a front room, a private bathroom, and his actual bedchamber, so she had to go a bit further to knock on his door.

"It's coming," she told him, as soon as he opened the door a few seconds later, "My water just broke."

King took a couple seconds to process her statement, then he snapped to action, leading her out gently by the arm. "How are you feeling?" he asked, slight panic in his voice.

"Only one contraction so far, but it's passed. And I feel like I'm going to be sick." She clamped her mouth shut as another wave of nausea rolled over her.

They arrived at the room that had been set up for her delivery weeks ago, and he went to fetch his mother and the midwife (an experienced human midwife who'd married a Fangire man). Chōko laid down on the bed, trying to keep her breathing under control.

Maya and the midwife came in soon enough. "How far apart are your contractions?" the midwife asked, calm and in control despite having been woken up so early in the morning.

"I don't know, I've only had the one."

"Alright, then, there's no need to panic just yet. Not if labour's only just started. Once they're five minutes apart or less for at least an hour, then I'll check your dilation. Now, how are you feeling?"

"Nervous," she admitted truthfully. Her anxiety had been mounting as her due date had approached and passed, and it seemed to have reached its peak. Then again, she'd thought that yesterday, too.

* * *

_Tuesday, March 2__nd__, 2010 – 41 Weeks – 1:24am_

Chōko groaned as another contraction began. The pain was constant, now, coming in waves of intensity. It had been for hours, now. The midwife had said she was nearly nine centimetres dilated the last time she'd checked, with just one more to go, but that had been an hour ago.

Caitlin Shirakawa, Rook's human wife and a practicing nurse, ran a cool cloth over her forehead. "You're nearly there," she said in surprisingly good Japanese, "You're doing really well."

All Chōko had really been doing was lying there in pain while two humans and the formerly-exiled ex-Queen tended to her, but if that was doing well, then so be it. If only her mother could see her choice in caretakers now…

Her train of thought was abruptly interrupted as her stomach suddenly emptied itself into the plastic bucket beside her once again. At this point, nothing was coming up but watery bile, as water was all she'd been having for the past few hours. Maya waited until she was done before taking it away to be rinsed.

The midwife checked again and announced: "Alright, you're at ten centimetres. It's time to push when the next contraction comes."

Chōko sat up and grabbed the handles attached to the sides of the bed while bracing her feet. She _really_ wanted this to be over so she could hold her baby already.

* * *

_1:31am_

Nearly seven minutes had passed since Chōko had started pushing, but she still wasn't finished. She was in more pain than ever and cursing whatever powers had decided to put women through this kind of torture.

"Okay, the head is out!" the midwife announced, "Just one more push!"

Chōko bore down, pushing as hard as she could as the pain mounted even further. A scream tore from her throat.

Then the pain eased as she felt something finally slide out and a cry could be heard, little lungs clearly functional. "It's a girl," the midwife declared. Chōko sighed in relief and laid back down. It was over, and now she had a daughter.

* * *

When the baby's cry could be heard through the door, Taiga sagged in relief. He'd been pacing even more than he had before the wedding, and anyone who tried to calm him down was snapped at. Never before had he felt so helpless.

Wataru grinned, also clearly relieved, and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I told you it would be fine," he said.

A minute or two later, the door opened and Maya and Caitlin (as she insisted they call her) slipped out. "Well?" Taiga asked anxiously, hoping that mother and baby were both healthy.

Maya hugged her son while Caitlin went off in search of hers (he and his father were in another part of the Castle, keeping the five-year-old away from the birth, as he'd been asking questions that he wasn't yet old enough to have answered, although the child was probably asleep by now). "You have a healthy baby girl," she told him, "Six pounds, fifteen ounces."

He embraced her back. A daughter. They'd been considering finding out beforehand what they'd be having, but the Queen had said she'd wanted it to be a surprise, and since she'd been the one carrying the child, Taiga had willingly backed her decision, going up against her mother, who'd been insisting they find out anyway.

The new Bishop, Kuroda Daichi, made another note on his PDA. Then he pushed himself off the wall he'd been leaning lazily against, a small grin on his youthful face. "I'll add that to the records. Let me know when you come up with a name."

"Can I see them?" Taiga asked breathlessly.

"She's feeding the baby right now, so in a minute or two."

* * *

Chōko watched her new daughter settling to sleep, wrapped in a soft, red blanket. Twenty-plus hours of labour had been worth the warm little bundle in her arms. The other women had congratulated her and, once she was done nursing, allowed the King admittance, leaving to give them some privacy.

He approached hesitantly, eyes fixed on the baby in unmasked awe. She was now asleep, breathing softly. He came to a stop and sat down in an empty chair left by the bed. "Wow," he whispered, "She's beautiful, isn't she?"

"Gorgeous," Chōko agreed, "You know, she's going to need a name."

"Have you thought of one?" He was always leaving decisions regarding the baby up to her, only giving his input when she asked for it. He'd said that she was the one having to carry the child and give birth to it, so what she said would go.

"I have," she admitted, "Mio. After Ichijo."

He got an odd look on his face. "Has anyone told you what the last Queen was named?"

She shook her head, wondering why he was suddenly bringing that up. "No, I don't think so. Why?"

"Her name was Suzuki Mio. Bit of a coincidence, isn't it?"

"She could have two namesakes."

The King's smile grew. "Nobori Mio. I think it's perfect."

Mio made a small noise in her sleep, drawing her parents' attention back to her, not that it had been fully away from her. Her father reached out and stroked her little face with his finger. Her tiny fist grasped the digit when they brushed together. Chōko knew at that moment that Mio had completely stolen his heart right there.

The new mother settled back into her reclined chair/bed, tired out from the delivery. Her husband didn't miss it. "Rest. You more than deserve it. I'll introduce her to the rest of the family."

Chōko nodded, grateful for the chance to sleep. She carefully transferred Mio to his arms, the baby's hand still clasping his finger, and watched as he slowly carried her out to the hallway.

* * *

_Thursday, March 18__th__, 2010_

The two weeks that followed Mio's birth were far from restful for the new parents. Like any other newborn, she woke every few hours, wailing to be fed or changed. They took turns getting up to tend to her, but one night they got mixed up over whose turn it was, and Chōko wandered into the nursery to find the King already there, feeding Mio from a bottle.

It would have had the traditionalists tied up in knots to see their High Ruler actually taking part in caring for his child. Even the Queen wasn't to have that much involvement, allowing a nanny to do most of the work. But given how many traditional rules were being thrown out the window, it shouldn't be that surprising.

The King was staring down at his daughter with an odd sort of sadness. Chōko wasn't sure if he'd noticed her arrival, until he spoke: "My father killed his first two Queens because they bore him daughters instead of sons. He killed my sisters, too. How could he have been so ungrateful? Looked at his own children and wiped them out?" There was genuine sorrow and confusion in his tone. The way he cradled Mio in his arms showed how incomprehensible the idea was to him.

"You don't sound like you got along with him," Chōko commented, moving a bit closer.

"I was only a year old when he was killed, so it's not like I knew him, but I doubt we would have gotten along. The old Bishop told me he was a great King, but he's the only one I've met who said that and actually seemed to believe it. He was… when my mother fell in love with Wataru's father, Kurenai Otoya, my father was ready to kill me, just to punish her, and because he didn't want a 'traitor's child' as his heir. The fact that I was _his_ son didn't even factor in." He pulled the bottle away after Mio was done with it, and draped a towel over his shoulder before lifting her up to it and gently patting her back. "I just don't get how he could have taken his own children for granted."

It struck a chord with Chōko. And she realised how much he wanted, _needed_, to be as utterly unlike his father as possible. It was something they had in common; Chōko was determined to do better by her daughter than her mother had by her. They both were striving to be their own persons and live up to their own beliefs.

She went up to him and touched his free shoulder. "You're not him," she whispered, "You've already proven to be so much better than that. The way you treat your friends and family, the way you've treated me. You're a good man."

He looked up at her, surprise and gratitude mixed in his expression. Silence hung between them until Mio gave a little burp. King smiled faintly and gently settled her back into her crib. Her parents continued gazing at her, watching her fall back to sleep.

Chōko felt immensely glad that, even if the universe had chosen her to be Queen without her consent, at least she had a man like him as her King. God only knew how she would have survived if she'd wound up with someone like his father. Her respect for Maya rose significantly for getting through married life with _him_.

She glanced up at King and caught him staring at her. "Queen, I… Chōko… Thank you. For saying that."

The new use of her given name threw her for a second. "I-I meant every word."

He was leaning, closer, hesitant. The way he always seemed to be around her, like he was afraid of crossing a line that would upset her. "Every word?"

She moved closer to him. "_Every_ word."

This kiss was even better than their first. She overcame her hesitation first, wrapping her arms around his neck, then he fixed his own around her waist. When they came up for air, both were smiling.

"You know," Chōko whispered, "You still need a male heir."

"Are you suggesting we start now?"

"Oh no, I'm not all that eager to go through all that again so soon after. But maybe later down the road…"

"I wouldn't mind that at all." He held her tighter. "I'm glad the Powers chose you."

She sighed, inhaling his scent. "Me, too."

THE END

* * *

**So that wraps that up! The chapter title is a misnomer, I guess - like Chōko said, the actual heir to the title of King needs to be male, but the point is that they have their love and their first child.**

**'Bishop' will be coming next, though not for a while, and is set in December of 2009, so after Ichijo Mio's death and before Nobori Mio's birth. Here's a small preview:**

_**Daichi stood, approaching the pair calmly. "Excuse me," he said politely, "I was hoping I might have a moment of your time."**_

_**The King stared at him. "I beg your pradon?" A hint of wariness coloured his tone. Daichi didn't blame him; there were a lot of threats to the King's life right now. Whether or not Daichi was one would depend on how their conversation went.**_

_**...**_

_**Daichi was fully aware of their suspicious stares throughout the trip. He wouldn't expect anything less; in fact, he'd be mildly offended if they dismissed his potential to be a threat. Though he knew he was easily underestimated. He was young, slim, and a bit delicate-looking. It wasn't something he could help, so Daichi used it to his advantage as often as he could.**_


End file.
